Gas-engine



No. 624,975. Patentedwlay l6, I899. C. OUAST.

GAS ENGINE.

(Application filed Jan. 12, 1894.)

(No Model.)

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES outer, or MARION, OHIO.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,975, dated May 16, 1899.

Application filed January 12,1894. Serial No. 496,599. (NomodelJ To ctZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, CHARLES QUAsT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marion, in the county of Marion and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engines, of which the fol-v lowing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

It is the object of my invention to provide a gas-engine comprising a suction inlet-valve, a positively-operated exhaust-valve, an electric igniter, a pumpfor the combustible fluid,

. and a governor to control the action of the exhaust-valve to hold the sameopen when the engine is up to speed, thus preventing the gas-suction inlet-valve from operating said governor, controlling also the electric circuit to the igniter and the operation of the pump, whereby these partswill he inactive when the engine is up to speed.

My invention includes also the arrangement whereby the governor operates directly on the stem of the exhaust-valve, and the movement of this valve is the primary cause for the operation of the circuit-breaker and of the pump to which said parts are connected.

My invention includes means for adjusting the point of ignition, avaporizer, and numerous novel and advantageous features hereinafter pointed out.

Figure 1 is aside view of the machine, showing all mechanisms. Fig. 2 is a part front view and section showing the ignition mechanisms. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through exhaustwalve, showing igniter and in troduction of electric pole; Fig. 4, plan section through exploding or combustion chamber and valve-chest, showing igniter. Fig. 5 is a view of a disk placed on muffler to deaden noise of exhaust. Fig. Gisa section of muffler. Fig. 7 is a section through suction-valve and vaporizer or air-mixer.

leis a bed-plate upon which is mounted by columns 5 and 6 the cylinder 38, which carries combustion-chamber 37 and the latter valve-c11est 64,in which are suction-valve 86. Bed-plate 1 carries in joint or sleeve 12, latter pivoted in angle-1ever 11, which is supported in its angle 94 by bracket 93. Said angle-lever is operated from the other end through roller 22 in groove 16 of cam 15, which is pivoted on cylinder 38 by bolt 75. Lever 13 has a slot 101 in its extreme end, in which is movably fastened joint 14, carrying rod 102, which'connects with end of walking-beam 18. The other end of walkingbeam 18 carries ratchet-dog 20 and spring 19, pressing upon same. Ratchet-wheel 21 is fastened to cam- 15, the latter having a drum 98, on which presses brake-band 23,

which, with one end hinged on fulcrum 103 and threaded on the other, moves in guide 24, having a spring 25 and thumb-screw to increase and to decrease the pressure upon the brake-groove of the cam. Cam 15 has projection 17 on its circumference, on which lever 28, which has a movable projection 30, rests. 33, between which and the fixture 34 is spring 32, which has a tendency to keep rod 29 in the lowest position and press projection 30 upon cam 15. Rod 29 is pivoted to lever 35, which is fastened on shaft 81, the latter carrying lever 90. Lever 28 is pivoted on eccentric 26, latter having a lever 31, and is fulcrulned on 27. Exhaust-valve rod 76 carries on its lower end spring 95. Above that it moves in guides 39 and carries governor-block 41, then fulcrum 74. The latter guides lever 45, which connects with rod and this with lever 51. Lever 51 has on the other end a slot 5 2 and In slot 52 rod 55 pivots movably,

plunger 56, which moves in pump-cylinder 57, having suction-valve 58 and discharge-valve 59, which connects,through pipe 61 and handvalve 60, with carbureter 63. Pipe 61 has a distributing-plate 84, with holes and overflow 83 on the highest point. Fulcrum 74 has a piece 42 on one side to break and to connect the electric current. Governor-frame '47 carries balls 48 and pulley 49. The former is carried by 39. 'Bracket 39 has a guide in which slides governor-catch 40, moved by governor-spindle 46. Pulley 49 is driven by pulley 92, placed upon the crank-shaft. Ex-

haust-valve stem 76 carries valve 91, which sets in chamber 104 and separates said chan1- her from chamber 106. Suction-valve .86 sets Lever 28 carries rod 29, latter collar' in chamber 104 and separates it from chamher 105. Valve 86 carries a stem 72, having a spring 71 between the valve-frame 64 and the lock-nuts at its lower end. Valve-chamber 64 carries an insulated bushing 89, in which rests spring-sparker 66, which connects with wire and latter with a battery. Igniter-rod 66 is bent a little at 88, so as to give a small and clean contact. The same also is in the farthest end of the bushing thin and to act as a spring. Lock-nut 73 keeps the bushing-rod 66 in position. The bushing will fill with carbonic-acid gas after the first explosion and preventing the flames of the additional explosions to enter, thus keeping the spring from burning. Valve-chest 64 is surrounded with hull 68, which terminates below carbureter 63. The hull has openings 100 to allow the air to enter and be drawn past the hot wall of valve-chest 64 into the carbureter, this cooling the valve-chest and also giving hot air and preventing the gas exploding by its own accord or overheating of chamber. Hull 68 has a gate in the front to allow examination of the charges of liquid or gas.

The operation is as follows: Eccentric 8 rotates with crank-shaft 2 and moves lever 13, rod 10, rod 102, and walking-beam 18 up and down in correspondence with the motion of the crank-shaft. Through the up-and-down movement of the rod 102 and rocking of walkin g-beam 18 the ratchet-dog 20 moves ratchetwheel 21 one tooth forward for each down movement of the rod 102, through which the collar of lever 11 is raised, lowered, or stands still, and through this guide 12 is shoved-back and forth. The groove 16 in cam -15 is of such shape that once the lever 11 is raised, then stands still, then falls, then stands still again. These four periods are each a tooth of the ratchet-wheel 21 and each one a stroke of the engine. The engine is supposed to work into the so-called four-cycle systemthat is, one stroke takes in gases, the second compresses, the third explodes and expands, the fourth expels, and commences with one again. These different periods require different actions of the valves and mechanisms, which first in the suction-stroke keeps the exhaustvalve closed and allows the suctionvalve to take in gas, in the second to keep both valves closed to establish compression, in the third to keep both closed to allow expansion, in the fourth to open the exhaust-valve to allow escape of the waste product of combustion. These four actions are made in two revolutions and repeated as then ext two revolutions commence and so continue. In order to miss the exhaust-valve every other revolution, the cam 15 has the groove 16 so arranged that with one stroke the guide keeps the rod 10 under the valve-stem and raised as the eccentric turns, and the next three strokes miss and leave the valve closed. The standstill periods of roller 22 and lever 11 are once during the time that rod 10 is intact with valve-rod 76 and once when out of tact. There is one standstill between each up and down movement of the rod 10. Eccentric has more throw, then the valve is raised, and there is a space between the valve-rod 76 and the rod 10 when the eccentric is in its lowest position. This space is first to allow bringing the rod 10 either in or out of line with rod 76-that is, either to hit' or to miss and also to move the cam at a time when the other mechanisms are at a standstill. Through this overthrow period the rod is brought to its proper position for the next stroke, and also the ignition is produced just at the moment the crank passes the center after compression. The ignition is accomplished by the rotating of the cam by the movement of the walking-beam 18 and the ratchet-wheel 21, through the projection 17 on the periphery of cam 15, striking and raising projection 30 of lever 28. Lever 28 is connected, through rod 29, lever 35, and spindle 81, with lever 90. Each time the two projections meet the rod raises, the lever raises and touches point 88 of eccentric-rod 66. As soon as the projections strike their highest point they leave each other and the rod 29 drops through the pressure of spring 32, and as lever 90 leaves the point 88 a spark is created and the gases ignited. This operation repeats every other revolution of the crank-shaft on every fourth stroke of the engine. In order to be able to have the highest point of projections 17 and 30 meet each other earlier or later, eccentric 26 is placed in lever 28 and isstationary on pin 27, movable by hand by lever 31 only. In starting the engine a little laterignition is preferable, and after in full motion a little earlier is practicable. Eccentric also enables the regulation of the actual proper time of explosion at almost any point. The exhaust-valve is kept down in its seat when free of rod 10 by spring 95, where the suction-valve is raised by the suction of the piston when the exhaust-valve is closed. The suction-valve has a spring 71 to hold it in seat when no suction takes place. Governor driven by belt or chain or gears from the crank-shaft has a catch 40, which when engine has the proper overspeed is shoved toward the valve-rod 76, and by the next descent of same will rest upon said catch, preventing the suction of new gases, as the pressure of spring 71 upon suction-valve is more than the suction through the exhaustvalve. At the same time the exhaust-valve is held in an open position by the catch 40, pump 45, and rod 50, lever 51, rod-55, and piston are in standstill, this preventing the entering of new liquid or gases to the carbureter At each downstroke of the exhaust-valve the pump makes one stroke and gives a charge sufficient for one explosion. As the exhaust-valve moves upward the switch 42 is opened by leaving spring 43, which is connected with wire 44 of a battery. ire 65 connects igniting-rod 66, through the switch 42 and wire 44, with the IIO ' cover 70.

battery. .The exhaust of the engine is sent through a muliler, consisting of a frame 69 and In the frame are a number of perforated disks, through which the hot exhaust has to pass, and each opening of the preceding disk has a closed opening in front, so that the products have to move in zigzag to escape, thus causing and allowing a gradual expansion and at the same time condensing the volume of the same. Heat is absorbed by the metal, this diminishing the noise.

The motion of all the mechanisms in combination is: As the piston of the engine in cylinder moves downward for a suction the ex-.

- lever 51, thus giving more or less stroke to the pump-plunger 56. This oil or gas is sucked through the entering of air through openings 100 of hull 68 and,'heating in passing along the wall of 64, passes through screens 82 into mixing-chamber 107 and through the other screens 82, dividing chamber 105 from 107, then passing through 105 and suction-valve 86, which is raised through the suction of the engine-piston into igniter-chamber 104. As soon as the piston has reached the bottom of its stroke and reverses the suction-valve falls shut, and on the return stroke the inclosed gases are compressed. During this time the lever 11 has been on a high part of the part of the cam 15 and has not touched the exhaustvalve, but the cam has moved through one part of its period and brought the projection 17 to match projection 30 of lever 28, this raising the lever 90 brought same in contact with igniter-rod 66 at 88, and as soon as the compression of the gases has reached the highest pressure and the engine-piston returns the lever 28 dropsfrom the projection 17 and in parting lever 90 from point 88 makes a spark and igniting the charge, this explosion forcing the piston downward very rapidly, and in the downward stroke the roller of lever 11 has reached the lowest point in groove 16 of lever 15 and brought the'rod 10 in line with the valve-rod 76. As soon as the bottom is reached and the piston commences the uptively upon the working of this engine.

The exhaust-valve remains preventing flooding the carbureter with liq-' uid or gas, and saving the electricity. On starting the engine a charge of liquid or gas is pumped in by hand-lever 53, and the presence of the charge can be noticed by opening the door or gate 85. If on starting in cold weather the liquid or gas does not either gasify or ignite, then after pumping a charge into the carbureter a match can light the charge. This burning will heat the carbureter and walls sufiicient to make the next pump in charge after the flames have died out ignitible. the invention. The hull 68 also prevents the weather, rain, snow, or wind to act destruc- The engine is stopped by closing supply-valve 60. A very essential point of the invention is the feature of having the bottom of the carbureter 63 opento allow any surplus of liquid to fall in the bottom of the hull 68 and be gasified next time, the chamber 107 between the screens allowing a perfect mixing and also a second vaporizing in passing through the second screen before entering chamber 105. Further, there will always be more or less liqnidor gas in the second screen after the stroke of suction is very nearly finished. This gives the end of the charge (which suction is very slow at that point on account of the piston or crank being at its highest point) a high richness and will easy ignite and explode.

It will be noticed that the pump, the igniter, and the valves are arranged practically as one mechanism controlled by the governor,

which throws all the said parts out of action when the engine runs up to speed. It will be further noticed that the governor will remain in engagement with the block 41 of the exhaust-valve stem, owing to the pressure of the parts, until the exhaust -valve stem is slightly lifted by positive action of the rod 10, derived from the cam on the crank-shaft. Then the governor is free to be removed from the block 41, and the exhaust-valve stem will be free to fall and pump a charge of fuel into the vaporizer-just at thetime the crank is in the right position to begin a new cycle'of operation in proper order.

I claim 1. In a gas-engine, the combination of the cylinder, the inlet-valve, the exhaust-valve with its stem, the crank-shaft, the reciprocat= ing rod 10 and means for reciprocating and oscillating said rod comprising the lever 13 pivotally connected thereto at one end and,

the bell-crank lever 11 for oscillating its opposite end into and out of line with the valve This is one of the principal points of stem and the cams for operating the two levers, substantially as described.

2. In a gas-engine, the combination of the cylinder, the inlet-valve, the exhaust-valve with its stem, the crank-shaft, the reciprocating rod 10 and the means for reciprocating and oscillating the same comprising the lever 13 pivotally connected thereto at one end and the bell-crank lever 11 for oscillating its opposite end into and out of line with the valvestem, the cam for operating the lever 13, the cam for operating the lever 11 and the means for operating the latter cam extending there to from the lever] 3 substantially as described.

3. In combination in a gas-engine, the cylinder, the inlet-valve, the exhaust-valve, the reciprocating rod for operating the exhaustvalve, the cam controlling the position of said rod, the electric igniter, and the rod leading thereto, said cam having projections to operate the igniter-rod, substantially asdescribed.

4. In combination in a gas-engine, the cylinder, the valves, the electric igniter com prising the sparking-points and 88, the igniterrod 29 for operating one of said points,the lever 28 carrying the shoulder 30, the cam having a projection or shoulder for engaging the shoulder of the lever and the adjustable eccentric on which the lever is pivoted, substantially as described.

5. In combination in a gas-engine, the cylinder, the inlet-valve, the exhaust-valve, the reciprocating rod 10, the lever 13, to which the rod is pivoted, the lever 11 for oscillating the rod laterally into and out of line with the exhaust-valve stem, the igniter, the rod for operating the same, the cam for operating the lever 11, and the igniter-rod, and the means for operating the cam extending from the crank-shaft, substantially as described.

6. In combination in a gas-engine, the cylinder, the inlet-valve, the exhaust-valve, the means for opening the same positively, the stop 41 on the exhaust-valve stem, the governor and the catch operated thereby to engage the stop and hold the exhaust-valve open, said governor with its shaftbein g arranged at right angles to the stem of the exhaust-valve and the catch being movable longitudinally toward and from the said valve-stem, substantially as described.

7. In combination, the cylinder, the valves, the electric igniter, the circuit-breaker, carried by the stem of one of the valves and the governor for controlling the movement of said valve and acting directly 011 the said valve-stem whereby the circuit will be broken when an explosion is to be missed, substantially as described.

8 In combination, the cylinder, the inletvalve, the exhaust-valve, the means for operating the same positively, the governor arranged to hold the said valve open when an explosion is to be missed and acting on the stem thereof directly, the electric igniter, the circuit therefor,the circuit-breaker connected to the exhaust-Valve stem, the pump for forcing the combustible fluid to the engine, and the connections from said pump to the exhaust-valve stem, substantially as described.

9. In combination, the cylinder, the inletvalve, the vaporizer comprising the chamber 107, the screens 82 and the distributor-plate 84 and overflow 83, the said liquid or gas being supplied with hot fresh air through the conduit 68 increasing its vaporization and explosive force and lowering the flashpoint of the. gases, substantially as described.

10. In a gas-engine, the cylinder, the valves, the pump for forcing a supply of liquid fuel to the cylinder, the. means for operating the pump including the connection extending from the exhaust-valve stem, the lever 51 in said connection having a slot in which the operating connection to the pump is adjusted to regulate the amount of fuel supplied to the engine, and the governor for controlling the operation of the exhaust-valve stem and the lever 51, substantially as described.

11. In a gas-engine, the cylinder, the valves and the means for controlling the valve, consisting of the cam, the connection for operating the valve controlled thereby, the ratchet for operating the cam, the brake-drum 9S and band 23, the spring 25 and thumb-screw for adjusting the tension, substantially as described.

12. In a gas-engine, the cylinder, the valves, the electric igniter and the means for operating the same including a lever 28 connected therewith, and the eccentric 26 engaging said lever whereby the same may be adjustable to secure a later or earlier explosion or a late ignition may be obtained in starting the engine, substantially as described.

13. In a gas-engine, the cylinder, the valves, the electric igniter, the means for operating the same including the slotted lever, and the rod adjustable in said slot of the lever and connected with the igniter whereby the stroke of the igniter-point may be regulated, substantially as described.

14. In combination in a gas-engine, the cylinder, the piston, the valve mechanism and the electric igniter comprising the contact 88 having a spring portion and the bushing through which the igniter passes, extending around the said spring portion and adapted to receive carbonic-acid gas to prevent the spring from burning, substantially as described.

15. In combination in a gas-engine, the cylinder and piston, the valve mechanism, the valve-chest 64 and the hull 68 surrounding the valve-chest through which the cold air passes, thus cooling the valve-chest, heating the airsupply and increasing the regularity of the explosions, substantially as described.

16. In a gas-engine, the cylinder, the valves, the fuel-supply, the carbureter 63 to receive the fuel and convey the vapor to the valves, the hull 68 for conveying the air to the carbureter, said carbureter being open at its lower end to allow any surplus fuel to fall upon the hull 68 to be vaporized by the next suction of the suction-valve, substantially as described.

17. In combination, the cylinder, the piston, the valve mechanism, the carbureter, the f uelsupplyleading thereto, the hull 68 through which fresh air is led to the carbureter, said carbureter having an'open bottom through which the liquid fuel may fall into the hull 68 and the gate 85 leading to the hull, through which the liquid fuel may be lighted to heat the carbureter and adjacent parts, substantially as described.

18. In a gas-engine, the cylinder, the inlet and exhaust valves, the pump, the igniter, the exhaust-valve stem, the reciprocating rod arranged to strike the end of the valve-stem, the crank-shaft arranged to reciprocate the rod, the lever for oscillating the rod laterally, the means for operating the same, the governorcatch on the exhaust-valve stem, the governor arranged to engage the same, the connections from the pump to the exhaust-valve stem, the electric contacts controlled by the valve-stem and controlling the action of the igniter, and the means for returning the parts to normal position when theyare released from the'control of the governor by the crank-shaft arriving in proper position, substantially as described.

19. In a gas-engine the combination, of the cylinder, the inlet and exhaust valves, the exhaust-valve stem, the reciprocating oscillating rod for operating the valve-stem longitudinally, the means extending to the crankshaft for operating the said rod, the governorcatch on the exhaust-valve stem and the governor arranged to engage therewith and to hold the same in its advanced position to which it has been moved by the reciprocating rod, substantially as described.

20. In combination in a gas-engine, the cylinder, the inlet and exhaust valves, the reciprotating oscillatory rod for operating one of said valve-stems, the lever 13, for reciprocating said rod, the connection to the crankshaft for operating said lever, the lever 11 for oscillating the rod, the cam for operating the said lever 11, the ratchet, the pawl and pawllever for operating the can], the connection from the pawl-lever to the lever 13, the igniter, the means for operating the same including the lever 28, and the cam for operating said lever operated by the paWl-and-ratchet mechanism substantially as described.

21. In combination in a gas-engine thecylinder, the inlet and exhaust valves, the exhaust-valve stem, the means for operating the same from the crank-shaft, the governorcatch on the said valve-stem, the governor acting on the same, the electric circuit, the circuit-breaker controlled by the va1ve-stem,and

' the means for operating the igniter comprising the lever connected thereto and the connections therefrom to the crank-shaft, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aitlx my signature in presence of two witnesses,

CHAS. QUASJT.

Witnesses:

W. P. WINTER, FRED. E. GUTHERY. 

